In a communication network, network nodes exchange data using network communication protocols. Internet Protocol (IP) is an example of a network communication protocol that facilitates packetized data communication between network nodes. In an IPbased network, each network node has an IP address. Existing networks generally use 32-bit IP addresses according to IP Version 4 (IPv4). In particular, a packet sent between two network nodes generally includes a header with a source IP address and a destination IP address. The source address identifies the node that sends the packet, and the destination address identifies the intended recipient of the packet.
Wireless communication networks conforming to the TIA IS-835 standard, for example, rely on the IPv4 address space to identify wireless nodes ranging from network equipment to mobile wireless communication devices. Dense mobile networks with millions of individually addressable nodes have resulted in rapid depletion of the 32-bit address space provided by IPv4. With the limitations imposed by the IPv4 address space, network carriers have contemplated a shift to the 128-bit address space provided by IP Version 6 (Ipv6).
The transition from IPv4 to IPv6 presents some challenges. For example, a complete and sudden transition to IPv6 would disrupt access to existing IPv4 resources on the network. The use of address translation between IPv4 and IPv6 address spaces can ease the transition, but generally presents undesirable processing overhead, expensive use of the air interface, and excessive power consumption.
The use of a so-called “dual stack” approach in which each wireless communication device supports communication with either the IPv4 or IPv6 protocol is another solution for transition. During the transition period, however, the typical dual stack implementation requires assignment of both IPv4 and IPv6 addresses to the wireless communication devices. The dual stack approach results in excessive consumption of IPv4 addresses, which is the precise reason that transition to IPv6 addressing has been undertaken.
The IPv4 addresses can only be phased out after an extended transition period in which all or a large majority of the network nodes have migrated to the IPv6 capabilities. In the meantime, the IPv4-IPv6 transition remains a challenge, particularly for wireless communication systems providing mobile IP services.